Explosion At Former Motel Injures Four In Wayne County

Four people were injured after an explosion tore through a former motel Friday morning.

Major Tom Effler with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office tells WITN News they are investigating the possibility of a meth lab explosion at the old Goldwater Motel on Highway 117 Alternate in Dudley. The former motel had been turned into apartments.

It happened around 4:20 a.m. with one of the rooms having its front walls blown out. Effler says four people who were either in or around the room were injured. Three of those victims have been flown to the burn center in Chapel Hill.

Those flown to the burn center are Joshua Summerlin, 21 from Beautancus Rd. in Mount Olive, Regina Rugkit, who is 28 years old from Wayne County, and Randy Johnson, who is 27 years old from the Mt. Olive area. Tracy Grady, who deputies say rented the room, is still at Wayne Memorial Hospital

The burn center says all three are listed in good condition.

The State Bureau of Investigation has been called in to help investigate the explosion.

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